Octagon

Located in the Capital City, the Octagon serves as the main slave auction house for City and Empire, and is known for its style and decadence.

Description
The Octagon is a large maze of rooms and tunnels. It has a Main Hall with multiple hallways leading to rooms for sales, and doors to private behind the scenes rooms. It also has a Great Hall which is where more common clients purchase slaves. Lastly it has the slave inspection pens.

Main Hall
The Main Hall is opulent and clean. It has marble and raenan stonework with hanging plants, artwork, and several fountains. Its most important feature is a black slate board which lists which slaves can be purchased in which room. According to Tishar D'Mon this board is changed daily to reflect the current market."'The public areas of the Octagon were not rank brick and wrought iron, but marble and shaped raenan stone, more appropriate for an Upper Circle salon than a slave house. The most exclusive areas of the Octagon were indeed a little different from salons. Where one might otherwise see fine art, the Octagon presented the finest in flesh to a jaded royal audience.'"

Great Hall
The Great Hall is the commoners version of the auction house, and where most citizens would go to purchase a slave or for entertainment of the auction itself. It never closes and is constantly busy with vendors of food, drink, and slaves alike. Slave masters in this hall are more likely to become persistent salesmen than reserved professionals. "'The great hall was the main auction arena of the Octagon. Vendors wandered up and down the aisles, selling sweetmeat-stuffed sag or cooled teas for patrons. Watching the cleaners, who didn't wait for guests to leave before sweeping the aisles, Kihrin deduced this hall never closed; there was always someone up on the block for sale.'"

Southern Balcony
A balcony which over looks the Main Hall, but is shielded by a wooden screen. The balcony also serves a delightful tea.

Inner Tunnels & Inspection Room
Connecting all the various rooms, halls, auction blocks, and slave pens, are a maze of tunnels. At the center of the tunnels is a small round room, where the inspector, Humthra, has a desk and the registries. From there room there are two doors, a staircase leading up and one leading down, with 12 other hallways leading out like spokes. The room is usually heavily guarded, and access must be granted to enter. "'Taking Kihrin's arm, Tishar walked him into a small side passage, barely large enough for two people, and cramped compared to the opulence of the main hall. The corridor continued for a long time. 'Is this a servant's tunnel?' Kihrin asked. She indulged him with a smile. 'Something like that.'"

Salons
Away from most of the public are the salons for nobles to converse and purchase slaves.

Slave Cells
Kept away from most of the public's eye are the actual cells where slaves are held. Though we only see the slaves cells of gladiators and expendables, they are small along a hallway, hold about two prisoners, and keep them locked with gates and chains.

Hierarchy
Most everyone who is employed at the Octagon wears orange, the house color of House D'Erinwa which has a monopoly over this economic sector. At the very base of the hierarchy are the slaves themselves. The Octagon supposedly sells so many that there is always someone on the auction block at any give point. They sell for every service, menial labor, entertainers, services, pleasure, exotic ethnicity, and gladiators. Above them there are those who maintain the Octagon, including cleaners who sweep the aisles. There are also vendors, selling food and drink, especially tea. And there are slave auctioneers themselves. "'The slave masters of [The Great Hall] didn't hold themselves with the same sober professionalism of the salons, perhaps because they sold only to merchants and commoners.'"The slave auctioner's job is to entice clients to purchase slaves before they even go onto the block. There are also guards around the Octagon, though they seem to be more hidden from public eye. Higher up the hierarchy are there is a majordomo, who overlooks the Main Hall, and Humthra. Humthra's title and position is not fully described but he sits in a small room with many hallways leading out, and when questioned by Tishar immediately inspects and reports a price on Kihrin (which he does with surprising accuracy), so it is likely he is an inspector. He also keeps all the registries of sales, and seems feared by others, so is likely near the top of the hierarchy.